August 30, 2010

We enjoyed watching Chef Jonathan Waxman on the most recent season of Top Chef Masters. Between his calm demeanor and his ingredients-first approach to cooking (after all, he was the chef at Chez Panisse), Chef Waxman's restaurants soon became a must-try destination for us. We finally got the chance to dine at his restaurant Barbuto and were eager to try his renowned roasted chicken.

August 27, 2010

We're often reminded about the great diversity in food options here in NYC. And it seems that both The Food Network and its sister channel, the Cooking Channel, have recently been featuring food trucks from around the country (Food Truck Revolution, The Great Food Truck Race, and various episodes of Unique Eats). So it's no surprise that around lunch time, we'll seek out the newest food truck.

Recently, my husband was able to try Eddie's Pizza Truck. He first checked Twitter and saw that they were heading toward downtown, near his office. He managed to get there before the lunch time rush (right when they open around 11:30am) on a Tuesday morning. Hope you enjoy his post as much as he enjoyed his pizza!

August 26, 2010

Have you ever had a stranger unexpectedly brighten your day? Maybe s/he put money in your almost-expired parking meter. Or s/he paid for your coffee. For me, it was a salesgirl who complimented me on the necklace I made, encouraged me to start selling them, and bought a couple of them from me. So when we were given the option to use or give away a $60 gift certificate from CSN Stores, we knew we wanted to pay it forward and make someone's day. With over 200+ online stores, you could shop for dining room sets, cookware, or even new shoes.

Winner will be determined using Random.org and announced on Tuesday, Sept 7 (entries due Sept 6 at 11:59pm EST, max 5 entries per person). Contest is open to Canadian and U.S. residents only. Good luck!

August 25, 2010

Meat, dumplings, and of course, beer...my husband enjoyed all three at the Launch Party for Brooklyn Brewery's newest beer, Detonation Ale. Enjoy his post!

Last week I attended the launch of Brooklyn Brewery's Detonation Ale at Prospect Park's Audobon Center at the Boathouse in Brooklyn, NY. The event was also a fundraiser for the Prospect Park Alliance and it was well worth it.

August 24, 2010

Scheduled to open after Labor Day, new burger restaurant 4Food's opening has been highly anticipated. Why? It could be it's efforts to be green (including high-scale composting). Or its widespread use of iPads and social media. But for us (and many others), it's about the food. After all, 4Food promises to offer customizable burgers (including Wild Alaskan King salmon and meat patties produced using fresh, all-natural, and humanely-raised animals). These patties are shaped like a doughnut and filled with a huge selection of seasonal ingredients. All of this, plus offering food quick at a fairly affordable price. It's definitely an ambitious plan.

Once it opens, we know it'll be fairly crowded in its first few weeks. So we were happy to win a couple of spots to check out 4Food during its Family and Friends preview event.

August 20, 2010

Ever since we were kids, ice-cream and summer would go hand in hand. But despite how nostalgic and familiar ice cream can be, there's always a new flavor or technique to be learned. Last weekend, I dragged my hubby to try a few new-to-us local ice-creams. Why did we find? A couple of unique flavors and definitely a few must-eats for those living in or visiting NYC (and in one case, the tri-state area).

August 19, 2010

I love date night with the hubby. It gives us a chance to chat and enjoy a meal without doing the dishes. We wanted to take advantage of a Happy Hour deal (or Early Bird Special), so I met him early one evening at DBGB Kitchen & Bar

The last time we were at DBGB, it was Lent, so I had to watch my husband enjoy his pork belly burger while I opted for a salad (albeit a very tasty crab salad). This time, I was eager and ready to try my first Daniel Boulud burger!

August 18, 2010

Last year we attended the charity event, Le Fooding, which highlighted NY and Parisian chefs. Though it was crowded (it helps to tag-team with someone else to navigate the lines) and a tad damp (it rained the night before), it was a fun event for a great cause. After all, it's not every day that 6 celebrity chefs are in one spot cooking and serving food.

We just got an email about this year's line up, and we think it'll be even more fun! Pitting New York chefs (like Momofuku's David Chang and Blue Hill's Dan Barber) against San Francisco chefs (like Coi's Daniel Patterson and Nopa's Laurence Jossel) already sounds like it'll be a heated (and delicious) contest. Here's the menu and details:

August 17, 2010

Whenever Jen comes to town, we always seem to have a wonderful get-together. From Scandinavian food to David Chang's latest Momofuku spot, we've been fortunate to catch up with fellow food bloggers over interesting and tasty dishes. Our most recent get-together was no exception.

Jen managed to score a reservation in Marea's private dining room without the normal $1600 food/drink requirement. Not only were we able to dine in a lovely space, but we were able to take as many photos as we'd like.

August 16, 2010

Last year when we went to the Brooklyn Flea, we made the mistake of going there right after brunch. We were too full to fully enjoy all of the diverse food offerings amongst the vintage clothing stalls. So this time, we came prepared with empty stomachs and ready to devour tacos, hot dogs (with an Asian twist), fresh lobster rolls, and more!

August 13, 2010

Ever have one of those days that starts off with the best of intentions, experiences a couple of glitches, but all works out in the end? That was us a couple of weekends ago when we had friends and family come into town for an impromptu brunch in the city.

We had planned on dining outside, but gray clouds (threatening rain), sparse parking, and unexpected restaurant closings had thwarted our plan. So we crossed our fingers and wandered about Hell's Kitchen for a spot to eat. We came across Eatery, a popular and crowded brunch spot in the area. Wistful about our chances for a table, I walked in and inquired about the wait for a group of 6. "We can seat your group immediately if you're all here" was our host's response. Success! With a smile on my face, I relayed the good news to our group and we all sat down at the large booth in the back.

August 12, 2010

Maybe it's the 90F/32C plus weather or the movie promos for "Eat Pray Love", but I've been reminiscing about my past travels to India. A couple of years ago, I was fortunate to visit with a friend who had family in several Indian cities. We traveled through the resorts and beaches of Goa, shopped through the markets of Mumbai, and were awestruck by the architecture in New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra (home of the Taj Mahal).

All of these thoughts made me crave a lassi, a beverage made with yogurt, fruit, and spices (almost like an Indian smoothie or milkshake). Lassis are wonderful to temper spicy foods (we were craving them when we ate at Xi'an Famous Foods) and a great way to cool off on a hot summery day!

August 11, 2010

Have you ever enjoyed a bottle of wine with loved ones, and then kept the cork as a memento? Well, we've done that for every bottle of wine for the past 2 years and collected them in a huge, tall, clear vase - which was now overflowing. (We weren't kidding when we said during the last post that we loved red wine!) So I decided to make a corkboard out of them.

August 10, 2010

It's no secret we love red wine. My husband's got it stored everywhere - our wine fridge, every closet in our apartment, at his parents' place, in my parents' house (in Canada!), his sister's ex-boyfriend's basement...well, you get the picture! So whenever we have friends or family stop by, we always have red wine on hand.

With the weather so hot here in NYC, our red wines (that aren't stored in our wine fridge) have been a little too warm to serve. I read about the Ravi Instant Wine Chiller in his Wine Spectator magazine and thought it would be the perfect gadget for my wine guy who has everything.

August 9, 2010

What we love about Chinese cuisine is its diversity. Though there's a plethora of Cantonese food in the city, we can also enjoy Sichuan's spicy foods and Hunan's fiery foods. And this past weekend, we went with a couple of friends to Xi'an Famous Foods to try Xi'an food for the first time.

Xi'an is the capital of China's Shaanxi province and contains a minority Muslim population. We could taste the Muslim influence through many of the cumin lamb dishes. The new East Village location of Xi'an Famous Foods is a tight space (with seating for 12, it's more like a take-out spot). But with deep, spicy flavors and dirt-cheap prices (we were stuffed after spending $10/person), Xi'an Famous Foods is worth the visit.

August 6, 2010

Who could turn down a party invitation from Martha Stewart? Last night, I headed to the top of the MSLO offices (an indoor rooftop space with panoramic views of the city) for colorful beverages (one made with a blender powered by a bike!), fun hors d'oeuvres, and dainty desserts (including smores!) Enjoy these photos from the event!

August 5, 2010

Because it is only a few hours away from NYC (and a cheap bus ride away), Washington D.C. makes for a quick weekend get-away. We've gone there before enjoying the city's high-end, cheap eats, and drink places. Though we did not have much time to sight-see (between business meetings and visiting our newborn nephew), we did manage to check out a couple of cheap eats. Join us as we rush to find the Korean food cart in Washington D.C. and then take a road trip out to Chaps Pit Beef in Baltimore, MD.

August 4, 2010

There's nothing like a good wine bar to brighten up our weekend! With friends and family in the city, we ventured over to Hell's Kitchen to check out Casellula Cheese and Wine Cafe. It's a small, cozy space with an exposed brick wall. Though this popular spot does not take reservations, we were able to grab a couple of tables and squeeze our party of 6 in for an early dinner.

August 3, 2010

My husband loves his morning jolt of caffeine - it helps to jump-start his day. But with iced coffee costing anywhere from $2.50-$4.50 a pop in NYC, his daily addiction was adding up. So we decided to start making cold-brewed iced coffee at home.

With cold-brewed iced coffee, the brewing relies on time versus heat to get the flavor from the coffee grinds. Cold brewing makes the coffee taste less sour and bitter. By soaking ground coffee overnight, we're able to make a strong coffee concentrate that makes us enough iced coffee (in regular, Thai, Vietnamese, and Irish form) to last us for the week.

August 2, 2010

Walking in Central Park last Friday, I came across Korea Day in NYC. Filled with entertainers in colorful attire and tons of free food, the Korea Day celebration attracted many people who were unfamiliar with the Korean culture. (A guy in line asked me "what's a kimchee?" and "is it seafood?") It was an accessible way to encourage people to try new foods and learn something new. Enjoy these photos of the day!